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Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

How to Stay Free at Your Dream Hotel With These Card Combinations

November 2, 2016
by
Million Mile Secrets Million Mile Secrets

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Million Mile SecretsMillion Mile Secrets Team

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full Advertising Policy.

Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

It’s fun to make a travel goal and go for it! But how about doing it with small money? Or even free?

Whether you’re planning a yearly vacation or special occasion like a honeymoon, you can stay for free at your dream hotel with certain credit card combinations!

Use Credit Card Bonuses to Book a Free Stay at Your Dream Hotel, Like the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome!

3. Starwood

It will depend on your destination, but the most high-end hotel brands are usually Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis. So if you’re dreaming of a luxurious stay, you might want to check out these brands!

Next, to make your dream stay come true, you’ll want to have the right credit cards in your wallet! And there’s an important strategy to make sure you get the best cards!

The key is to first get Chase cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Because these points are very flexible and can transfer directly to hotel partners like Hyatt, Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton. Plus, these cards usually have fantastic sign-up bonuses.

But earlier this year, Chase started to make it difficult for folks to be approved for Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards. If you’ve opened ~5 or more credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months (excluding certain business cards), you’re unlikely to get approved for most Chase cards.

Before applying for any cards, consider:

Sign-up bonus offer

Ongoing bonus spending categories

Special perks like elite hotel status

Annual fee

Many times, cards with annual fees come with terrific sign-up bonuses that are worth much more than the annual fee. That’s why even thrifty folks like me get annual fee cards! But do the math to make sure the perks and bonuses are worth any fees you’ll pay.

For example, you can earn 25,000 Starwood points with the AMEX Starwood personal card after meeting minimum spending requirements. Then, transfer to Marriott at a 1:3 ratio. This means you’ll have 75,000 Marriott points.

This would be a great option for team member Harlan whose dream hotel is The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. He’d love to stay here as part of a trip to northern California. Plus, this hotel can regularly cost $700+ per night!

So you could get the Sapphire Reserve card, which comes with a 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards point sign-up bonus. Then, transfer 90,000 points to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio. Finally, convert the Marriott points to 30,000 Starwood points for a free night.

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)